Nintendo to Wii owners: the Wii U is an entirely new system, not just an upgrade

The difference between the Wii and Wii U are readily apparent to most contemporary gamers, but some consumers are having trouble telling them apart. "Some have the misunderstanding that the Wii U is just Wii with a pad for games," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told Investors last week, "others even consider Wii U GamePad as a peripheral device connectable to Wii." Nintendo is eager to clear up the confusion, of course, and pushed a notification to internet connected Wii consoles stating it plainly. "Wii U is the all-new home console from Nintendo. It's not just an upgrade -- it's an entirely new system that will change the way you and your family experience games and entertainment." The note also assures readers that their Wii accessories will work on the new console, and gives a brief run down of the console's selling points: the Wii U GamePad, backwards compatibility and HD graphics. The humble message probably isn't enough to repair the damage done by product's nearly identical names, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. Check out the full statement after the break.

[Thanks, Will]

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Play your Wii games and accessories on Wii U

Did you know that you can play nearly all your existing Wii games on Wii U? Your Wii controllers and many Wii accessories can also be used with a new Wii U console -- along with any downloaded games, save data, and other info stored in your existing Wii console.

It's time to discover Wii U

Wii U is the all-new home console from Nintendo. It's not just an upgrade -- it's an entirely new system that will change the way you and your family experience games and entertainment.

The second screen on the included Wii U GamePad controller enables never-before-seen ways to play games and enjoy TV. And for the first time ever, you can see Mario and your favorite Nintendo franchises in glorious HD.